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Lo! swich a lucre is in this lusty game, |
850 | A mannes myrthe it wol turne unto grame, |
| And empten also grete and hevye purses, |
| And maken folk for to purchacen curses |
| Of hem that han hir good therto ylent. |
| O! fy, for shame! They that han been brent, |
855 | Allas! kan they nat flee the fires heete? |
| Ye that it use, I rede ye it leete, |
| Lest ye lese al; for bet than nevere is late. |
| Nevere to thryve were to long a date. |
| Though ye prolle ay, ye shul it nevere fynde. |
860 | Ye been as boold as is Bayard the blynde, |
| That blondreth forth, and peril casteth noon. |
| He is as boold to renne agayn a stoon |
| As for to goon bisides in the weye. |
| So faren ye that multiplie, I seye. |
865 | If that youre eyen kan nat seen aright, |
| Looke that youre mynde lakke noght his sight. |
| For though ye looken never so brode and stare, |
| Ye shul nothyng wynne on that chaffare, |
| But wasten al that ye may rape and renne. |
870 | Withdraweth the fir, lest it to faste brenne; |
| Medleth namoore with that art, I mene, |
| For if ye doon, youre thrift is goon ful clene. |
| And right as swithe I wol yow tellen heere |
| What philosophres seyn in this mateere. |
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Lo, such a gain is in this pleasant game |
850 | A man's mirth it will turn to grief and shame, |
| And it will empty great and heavy purses, |
| And causes alchemists to get the curses |
| Of all of those who thereunto have lent. |
| O fie! For shame! Those who the fire resent, |
855 | Alas! can they not flee the fire's fierce heat? |
| If you have tried it, leave it, I repeat, |
| Lest you lose all; better than never is late. |
| Never to thrive at all were a long date. |
| And though you prowl, you never gold shall find; |
860 | You are as bold as Bayard is, the blind, |
| That blunders forth and thinks of danger, none; |
| He is as bold to run against a stone |
| As to go ambling down the broad highway. |
| And so fare you who multiply, I say. |
865 | If your two fleshly eyes can't see aright, |
| Look to it that your mind lack not for sight. |
| For, though you look about and though you stare, |
| You shall not win a mite in traffic there, |
| But you shall waste all you may scrape and turn. |
870 | Avoid that fire, lest much too fast it burn; |
| Meddle no more with that base art, I mean, |
| For if you do, you'll lose your savings clean. |
| And now I'll tell you briefly, if I may, |
| What the philosophers about this say. |
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